iLuv Foldable Leather Case Quick Review w/PICS

As a thanks to this forum for being such a great resource, I thought I'd post a quick review of my case:

The case has a clean, rugged look to it. The exterior is highlighted by a metal "iLuv" latch that has a light brush to it with embossed letters. The case closes using velcro behind the metal badge. The iPad slides in from the inner side of the binding so when the case is closed, there is no risk of the iPad sliding out. The iLuv badge is the only thing that sticks out from this otherwise subdued case.

The inner lining facing the screen when closed is a soft pseudo-leather with a dark gray tone. It never touches the screen because the lining on the iPad sticks out (see picture).The iPad slides in place with all exterior buttons and ports easily accessible. I won't have a problem taking out the iPad when I don't need the case. The face of the iPad shows completely (including ambient light sensor) while still holding the iPad securely in place.

The case binding is also made of pseudo-leather, so it feels like it wouldn't wear over time, easily flexing back and forth. The corners of the case are rounded, but it feels like the inserts are made of hard plastic to protect the iPad if I were to drop it.

Now the main reason I liked the Apple case was because it was functional. It lacked many things I feel this case has (solid protection, durable material, stable vertical stand, and easy to keep clean). These are all personal preferences, but what I wanted most from this case was to not lose any of the functionality of the Apple case. It needed to cover the screen when not in use, convert to a wedge for easy typing, and stand in a position where I can watch movies and TV shows.

I have to say that this case surpassed those requirements.

Firstly, the typing (wedge) position was a bit tricky. The closing latch needs to be folded so the iLuv badge faces the rear of the iPad in order to get a stable typing platform. I learned the hard way that any other way will make the case wobble and will be too unstable for typing. This was one of my main concerns with this case, however once the strap was folded properly, there were no stability issues. You'll see from the pictures that the closing latch is slightly off center which can make the typing position unstable if not folded properly.

Standing in a landscape position for watching video was also very stable. The Velcro latch keeps the case from sliding apart when in this position. There was never a sense the case would easily tip over.

An added bonus, although I don't know if iLuv intended the case for this use, was a third position which holds the iPad at roughly a 45 degree angle. This is great when you want something in between. You may have to play around with this, it's not advertised to do this.

Now the negatives. The more I use the case, the less complaints I have about it. Since the latch is slightly off center, the support when in the typing position is not firm, but sufficient for a touch screen device. I hope that iLuv centers the latch in future releases to solve this simple oversight. Once the case is opened, the outer edge that surrounds the touch screen lifts up ever so slightly along the side where you slide in the iPad (see pic 3, 4, & 5). I figure with time, this will go away as the case takes form to the iPad. Also, the velcro is convenient and very strong, but it is velcro and will make noise when opening and closing. This is more of an annoyance initially, but I'm sure I'll get use to it with time. Some will also find the added thickness of the case to be a problem. The primary purpose of my case is to protect while being functional, so the added girth was not a problem.

Pictures below, if anyone has any questions feel free to ask. If there are any issues with this case over the next week or so, I'll be sure to post it for everyone here.

Case looks very functional and nice. I don't really like the iLUV so large on the clasp though. Some of these manufacturers get a little carried away with the size of their logo. Macally did that with their logo on the back of their clear case, as it looks out of place between the Apple logo and the word ipad on the back.

Like I said, it does look very functional and you should get some good use out of it.

MacRumors attracts a broad audience
of both consumers and professionals interested in
the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on
purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.